I Quit! Really!

I quit!  Yes, I quit smoking a few days ago.

After being a pack a day smoker for many years, I know that there are also side-effects to quitting.  (It also isn’t my first try.)

[Before you leave, I assure you that there is a segue to customer service here; bear with me a little longer.]

One of the more problematic side-effects to quitting (at least for me) is the mood swings.  I know I can be irritable, snippy and a downright pain in the rear (and if I forget my wife reminds me )

Now, being irritable and a pain in the rear end is not a good trait in customer service situations.  As many of you know, my day job entails dealing with customer complaints and escalations daily.

Self-Awareness

Obviously, to find a solution, we first need to know that there’s a problem.  In customer service, it’s important to be aware of how emotions affect us and those around us.

This awareness isn’t just about knowing when we’re moody or irritable as has occurred to me over the past three days (yep, by the time you read this, I’ll have been three days off of tobacco).  We need to be generally aware of our emotions and of those of the people that we deal with.  Only then can we use that knowledge to make rational decisions for the benefit of everyone.

Customer service situations are often delicate and knowing how to walk the line is important.

As many of you know, my day job entails dealing with customer complaints and escalations daily. Self-Awareness Obviously, to findAs many of you know, my day job entails dealing with customer complaints and escalations daily. Self-Awareness Obviously, to findIn my case, when I notice that I’m not my usually happy, optimistic self and I need to deal with a customer now, I have to use that knowledge.  If I don’t, self-awareness is just another worthless concept.

So, I look at my options.  Can I put off making that call?  Maybe a colleague can handle it?  Sometimes, a polite email asking the customer when they would be available to speak with me can allow me to interact with the customer immediately while putting off the direct verbal contact.

How about you?

When dealing with customers, colleagues, friends, family, etc. how do you use emotional awareness, particularly of yourself, to make better decisions and improve outcomes?

Please share them so we can all learn from each other.